As computing, storage, and networking capabilities advance, new and more demanding applications exploit them. These applications, in turn, require an ever increasing need for more computing, storage, and networking capabilities. The continuing technology advances result in systems that operate at higher clock speeds but require more power. As power increases, the thermal profile of the systems rises. In addition, in order to increase the performance of these systems, components must often be added, which requires more space in the systems and more space for housing the systems.
As more powerful applications are developed to utilize these systems, demand for the systems grows. But, the buildings and rooms that the equipment is installed in do not grow. So system enclosure sizes become increasingly important so that more systems can be installed in the same space. But smaller system enclosure sizes work directly against the faster, higher power requirements and increased number of components required on the modules that must fit in the enclosures. Eventually an enclosure size limit is reached because of the power and concomitant thermal limits required for operation. Therefore, there is a need for an enclosure solution that provides high performance along with a lower power and thermal profile so that the size of the enclosure can be minimized.